Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030

An Overview

Dr Irina PapievaTechnical Officer, Patient Safety FlagshipWHO headquarters

72nd World Health Assembly (WHA)

May 2019

Watershed moment for patient safety!

Adopted WHA resolution on Global action on patient safety (WHA72.6)

Recognized Patient Safety as a global health priority

Established an annual World Patient Safety Day on 17 September

Invited international organizations and other relevant stakeholders to collaborate with

Member States in promoting and supporting patient safety initiatives

Requested DG to emphasize patient safety as a key strategic priority in WHO’s work

across the universal health coverage agenda

“To formulate a global patient safety action plan in consultation with

Member States and all relevant stakeholders, including in the private

sector, for submission to the Seventy-fourth World Health Assembly in

2021through the 148th session of the Executive Board”

WHA 72.6: Global Action on Patient Safety The Mandate

Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021-2030

January 2021: submitted to the 74th

World Health Assembly in 2021

through the 148th session of the

Executive Board

May 2021: approved by the 74th

WHA decision

August 2021: formally launched

Purpose of the global action plan

Provide strategic direction for all stakeholders through policy actions

Provide a framework to develop and prioritize patient safety

initiatives and interventions

Align existing strategic instruments for promoting patient safety in all

clinical and health-related programmes

Provide implementation guidance for mandate provided by WHA72.6:

resolution ‘Global action on patient safety’

Seven Strategic Objectives

SO1

Policies to eliminate avoidable

harm in health care

SO2

High-reliability

systems

SO3

Safety of clinical

processes

SO4

Patient and family

engagement

SO5

Health worker education,

skills and safety

SO6

Information, research and

risk management

SO7

Synergy, partnership

and solidarity

Partners in Actions

Health Care Facilities

and Services Governments

The WHO Secretariat Stakeholders

Strategy 1.1:

Patient safety policy, strategy and

implementation framework

Strategy 1.4:

Safety standards, regulation and accreditation

Strategy 1.2:

Resource mobilization and allocation

Strategy 1.3:

Protective legislative measures

Strategy 1.5:

World Patient Safety Day and Global Patient Safety

Challenges

Strategy 2.1:

Transparency, openness and ‘No blame’ culture

Strategy 2.4:

Human factors/ ergonomics for health systems resilience

Strategy 2.2:

Good governance for the health care system

Strategy 2.3:

Leadership capacity for clinical and managerial

functions

Strategy 2.5:

Patient safety in emergencies and settings of

extreme adversity

Strategy 3.1:

Safety of risk-prone clinical procedures

Strategy 3.4:

Safety of medical devices, medicines, blood and

vaccines

Strategy 3.2:

Global Patient Safety Challenge: Medication

Without Harm

Strategy 3.3:

Infection prevention and control & antimicrobial

resistance

Strategy 3.5:

Patient safety in primary care and transitions of care

Strategy 4.1:

Co-development of

policies and programmes

with patients

Strategy 4.4:

Patient safety incident

disclosure to victims

Strategy 4.2:

Learning form patient

experience for safety

improvement

Strategy 4.3:

Patient advocates and

patient safety champions

Strategy 4.5:

Information and education for patient and families

Strategy 5.1:

Patient safety in professional education and

training

Strategy 5.4:

Linking patient safety with appraisal system of health

workers

Strategy 5.2:

Centres of excellence for patient safety education

and training

Strategy 5.3:

Patient safety competencies as regulatory requirements

Strategy 5.5:

Safe working environment for health workers

Strategy 6.1:

Patient safety incident reporting and learning

systems

Strategy 6.4:

Patient safety research programmes

Strategy 6.2:

Patient safety information systems

Strategy 6.3:

Patient safety surveillance

systems

Strategy 6.5:

Digital technology for patient safety

Strategy 7.1:

Stakeholder engagement

Strategy 7.4:

Cross geographic and multisectoral initiatives for

patient safety

Strategy 7.2:

Common understanding and shared commitment

Strategy 7.3:

Patient safety networks and collaboration

Strategy 7.5:

Alignment with technical programmes and initiatives

https://ezcollab.who.int/gpsn

Policy options for implementation

The Patient Safety Implementation Ecosystem

Milestones

1. Landscape assessment of safety

risks and barriers to improvement

2. Commitment from political and

organizational leadership

3. Sustainable mechanism for

implementation

4. National context and priorities

5. Model of change

Number of countries that have developed a national action plan (or equivalent) for implementing patient safety policy and strategies1

Number of countries that have implemented a system for reporting of never events (or sentinel events)2

Significant reduction in health care-associated infections (measured by % of countries achieving their national targets)3

Significant reduction in medication-related harm (adverse drug events) (measured by % of countries achieving their national targets)3

Number of countries that have a patient representative on the governing board (or an equivalent mechanism) in 60% or more hospitals4

Number of countries that have incorporated a patient safety curriculum in education programmes or courses for health care professionals5

Number of countries that have signed up for implementation of the WHO Health Worker Safety Charter15

Number of countries that have 60% or more health care facilities participating in a patient safety incident reporting and learning system6

Number of countries that publish an annual report on patient safety 6

Number of countries that have established a national patient safety network7

Core Indicators

Core indicators and global targets

Thank you

https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-patient-safety-day/2021

https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2021/09/17/default-calendar/world-patient-safety-day-2021-virtual-global-conference